Los Altos receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Cupertino
Los Altos
Opportunity
69 · Top 24%
vs68 · Top 26%
Growth
32 · Bottom 20%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 20%
vs25 · Bottom 20%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 18%
vs61 · Bottom 21%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
70 · Top 28%
vs62 · Top 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Cupertino | Los Altos | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 58,566 | 30,698 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $234,707 | $250,000+ | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $110,519 | $149,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,165/sq mi | 4,694/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $2,000,001 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,501 | $3,501 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.6% | 81.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 82.2% | 88.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.1% | 3.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 58 | 121 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 3.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.9% | -53.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.4" | 13.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 24.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 45.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.50 | 20.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 14.6% | 5.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Cupertino
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Los Altos
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Cupertino, CA · Los Altos, CA · How this is calculated: methodology